Attending Harvard on a Fulbright

Mao Kobayashi ’16 wants to make childbirth a safe, empowering experience all over the world—regardless of economic circumstances. Her launch point is pursuing a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Global Health at Harvard University. A Fulbright grant has put this master’s program within Kobayashi’s grasp. 

The Fulbright-Mikitani Memorial Grant, housed in the Fulbright Program in Japan, supports fellows involved in graduate study in the United States. Kobayashi works as an anesthesiology resident in Japan, where she was born and raised. She has a passion for equitable access to pain relief during childbirth in resource-limited settings. 

“I believe that pain relief is not simply a medical service, but an important part of a safe, respectful, and positive childbirth experience,” said Kobayashi. 

Kobayashi said that labor analgesia usage is limited in Japan due to shortages of trained anesthesiologists and limited insurance coverage. Through Harvard’s MPH program, she hopes to learn how to use childbirth health interventions for diverse international and economic contexts. 

From Filmmaking and Economics to Public Health 

Kobayashi’s passion for public health started at Pitzer College. As an aspiring filmmaker, she originally intended to major in media studies. However, studying a wide range of subjects opened her eyes to new ambitions. 

“Pitzer’s interdisciplinary, liberal arts environment had a profound influence on my career path,” said Kobayashi. “Pitzer taught me that learning across different fields is not separate, and that each experience can connect and lead us toward a larger purpose.” 

Kobayashi discovered that she didn’t just want to tell stories about social problems through film; she wanted to address those problems herself. She switched her major to economics, studying how wealth and resources affect real-world health outcomes. 

“Courses such as Development Economics introduced me to global poverty and health inequities, which became central to my lifelong mission,” said Kobayashi.  

Her undergraduate thesis examined health indicators and economic development, particularly depending on resources. Her work inspired her to pursue a medical degree in Japan, where she sought to understand health policy through the lens of patient care. 

“After studying economics at Pitzer and later medicine in Japan, I came to see public health as the next step in learning how to turn clinical experience into broader social change,” said Kobayashi. 

Kobayashi’s program at Harvard will help her build a stronger foundation in health policy, quantitative methods, program implementation, and health economics. In the longer term, she seeks to contribute to global childbirth health through policy-oriented work, including collaboration with international organizations.